Every time I go come to Mexico City I am impressed with the number of new restaurants I see. Someone told me a statistic the other day (I am not 100% sure of the accuracy of this number): every year, 8 out of every 10 new restaurants that open up in Mexico City take a hit. They close and a new one comes up in its place. I don’t know if that number is true, but it sure feels like it.
A block away from the “Parque del Reloj” in Polanco, a very active, beautiful area (my favorite) in Mexico City, is Bellopuerto. This seafood restaurant grabbed my attention purely because of its looks – no reviews read and no questions asked – something I rarely give into, especially in Mexico City where I always go to the places people recommend.
The design of the place is fantastic – starting with my utmost weakness – pops of color against white. With its traditional, rustic look with a fresh, modern twist, Bello Puerto sold itself to me easily. The wooden white tables and chairs reminded me of the beach – any beach, really, but it made me think of Santorini – one of my favorite places on Earth. Look closer and the details, from the turquoise plastic basket/bin where the salsas are placed on the table, to the neon sign and the plastic light fixtures that probably cost no more than 20 pesos each (less than $2) at the {mercado}, give it a low-key, yet not-cheap, traditional Mexican feel.
What really won me over are the columns (yes I am aware of how strange that sounds). Vinyl cord typically used in Acapulco chairs, wraps the columns in a colorful striped pattern. This cord is now being used to make all kinds of cool furniture and home décor pieces – and here we see the trend applied in a completely different way. Love.
Now, I am no food critic but the food was pretty good. Started off with the {tostadas de atun} – typically served over chipotle mayo and topped with fried onions and avocado, followed by the {ceviche de jaiba}, and ended with a {huachinango a la veracruzana}. The three plates were excellent. And to top it off, the waiters were great, which is nothing less than common in Mexico.
From the bright painted signs to the vibrant color of the apples, oranges, papayas and all sorts of fruits and vegetables – the market radiates color everywhere you turn, not unlike other markets around the country.
I love stopping by the market to pick up a fresh squeezed juice – only here (and in Mexico in general), you not only get the typical orange, grapefruit and carrot juices. There’s beet, celery, papaya, mamey, banana, strawberry, kiwi – you name it. You can drink the single-fruit juice, or the interesting mixes like my favorite, jugo verde – made with spinach, celery, parsley, pineapple and orange juice. Besides the juices, there’s the licuados (smoothies), quesadillas, sopes, tortas and all sorts of Mexican “antojitos.” Come by with $50 pesos (less than $5) and be prepared to eat, drink and walk away with a very happy stomach.
Of all sweets and desserts, I like ice cream the best. gelato, frozen yogurt, “nieve” (ice cream made only with water, no dairy), or creamy old-fashioned ice cream; in a cup, or in a cone – I love it in all its forms. this fro-yo is great because it is made with whole ingredients and natural fruits – no preservatives, no colorants, no artificial flavorings.
So here is my first experience with baking GF – classic chocolate chip cookies. I have to tell you, I consider my experience successful. These cookies taste great! They really do. I gave one to Mr. J and he would have never thought they were GF. I have to confess something though – I think I over-baked them a bit (we all make our mistakes), so they aren’t as moist as I would have liked them to be but I think that if I hadn’t, they would’ve been moist and perfect. I adapted this recipe from 
